Gartner® Key Functional Areas for Optimal WAN Services Design and Support

Are you struggling to effectively evaluate WAN service providers due to lack of clarity around requirements? Many IT leaders struggle to define requirements, leading to costly missteps. WAN services must be treated as strategic digital enablers, not just technical tools by sourcing, procurement and vendor management leaders. With enterprise bandwidth demands growing 35–40% annually, and most providers now using AI-driven operations for Day 0/1 operations (but few for Day 2 predictive analytics), it’s critical to evaluate service providers across three layers: core (basic, commoditized services), differentiators (value-added features like security and cloud integration), and specialized (advanced capabilities like predictive analytics). Gain clarity, avoid common pitfalls, and make a decision that drives long-term value. Ready to confidently select the right WAN provider for your business?

In our opinion, this Gartner report uncovers the top criteria and questions to ask during your evaluation process. Download your complimentary copy and take the guesswork out of your WAN provider selection.

Gartner, Key Functional Areas for Optimal WAN Services Design and Support, Katja Ruud, Lisa Pierce, Karen Brown, 5 June 2025 GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

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